A weekly press release prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. If you require further information, regarding this press release, please call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA Website: www.omafra.gov.on.ca
THE NEW MARKETPLACE – ONTARIOFRESH.CA
Join Ontariofresh.ca, the new marketplace for Ontario’s local food community Ontariofresh.ca is giving you the tools that will help you grow your business, and the business of local Ontario food. Ontariofresh.ca is a free website and online community that is being created to expand the market for buyers and sellers of local Ontario food. Our aim is to connect across the food service value chain, linking bulk buyers, chefs, restaurants, caterers and distributors as well as growers and producers. Starting this summer, Ontariofresh.ca will be on the ground, building a stronger local food business in Ontario.
The free marketplace feature will allow users to make requests for items or product offerings that may be available at a moments notice. Participants will be invited to form groups around common interests or business opportunities.
Your Ontariofresh.ca profile will be an invitation to an ongoing and collaborative conversation about local Ontario food. We are creating tools to grow relationships between buyers, sellers and distributors of local food, as well as supporters and champions of the local food movement. Ontariofresh.ca is going to help your business get connected.
A stronger and more connected local food community means a better future for Ontario’s farmers, economy and environment. Join Ontariofresh.ca as we work together to grow the business of local food. Growers, buyers, distributors and friends will be able to sign up and register for an Ontariofresh.ca profile starting April 4. The launch of the site is expected in late summer of 2011. Participants can register and join online at www.ontariofresh.ca starting April 4.
To learn more about Ontariofresh.ca, please contact: Allison Decker at adecker@greenbelt.ca or Megan Hunter at mhunter@greenbelt.ca.
FUNDING AND RELATED OPPORTUNITIES
Get Funding to Hire a Graduate: Career Focus Program
Looking for a way to fund new research or other opportunities to grow your business? Through the Career
Focus Program, you can apply for funding to hire a graduate to work on a 4-to-12 month food-related project.
Each approved project will be eligible to receive half of total salaries and employment benefits, up to $20,000.
The program is sponsored by Agriculture and AgriFood Canada. Projects must employ recent graduates of agriculture, agri-food, agri-food science or veterinary medicine.
Note: This popular program is fully subscribed for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, so start planning now for 2012-2013. Applications will be accepted from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2011 for 2012-2013 projects.
Learn more now at: www4.agr.gc.ca/.
MAY 11-12, 2011 – GROWING THE FOOD CONTINUUM
Listen to experts, share knowledge and discuss how to meet some of the cross-industry challenges facing the food industry. Topics will include workforce growth, employment trends and how innovation will impact the workforce of tomorrow.
Local Food Reception: Wednesday, May 11 – 5:30pm – 8pm and the Conference: Thursday, May 12 – 8am – 4:15pm.
Where: Delta Guelph Hotel & Conference Centre; Cost: $165.
Learn more and register now at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/157585.
COMING EVENTS
May 12 – Growing the Food Continuum Conference – For those involved or interested in agriculture, food processing, food retail or hospitality. At the Delta Guelph Hotel & Conference Centre. Listen to experts, share knowledge and discuss how to meet some of the cross-industry challenges facing the food industry. Topics will include future workforce growth, changing employment and how innovation will impact the workforce of tomorrow. Contact the Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo, Wellington & Dufferin at 519-622-7122, or visit: www.workforceplanningboard.com.
May 13 – Grower Pesticide Safety Course, Elora. Course starts at 8:45am and Separate Exam at 2:30pm. To register, call Ontario Pesticide Education Program at 1-800-652-8573.
May 14 -Wellington County 4-H is hosting their Annual Beef BBQ & Silent/Live Auction and Dance at the Alma Community Centre, Alma. Music by: Bill Beattie. Tickets: $12.00/adult; $7.00/child 9 and under; 4 and under free. For tickets please contact: James at 519-669-2025 or Carol at 519-833-0455 or Barb at 519-824-2959.
May 18 – Special Wholesale Flower Sale, Elmira Produce Auction Co-op (EPAC). For information, contact Auction Manager, Noah Gingrich at 519-638-3602.
June 21-22 – 38th Annual Ontario Pork Congress. Place – Stratford Agricultural and Recreational Complex. Website – http://www.porkcongress.on.ca/
June 7 and 8 – Climate Change and the Implications for Plant Science – Symposium. Place – Room 160, Johnson Hall, University of Guelph, Guelph. Contact: 519-767-5000 or Email – info@open.uoguelph.ca; Website – www.plantscience.open.uoguelph.ca; Alt. Website – www.croplife.ca.
June 21-22 – 38th Annual Ontario Pork Congress. Place – Stratford Agricultural and Recreational Complex. Website – http://www.porkcongress.on.ca/
July 6 & 7 – SouthWest Crop Diagnostic Days – University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus.
